[Click here for a key to the symbols used. Some county routes were constructed with federal funds. These routes are indicated as FAP (Federal Aid Primary), FAU (Federal Aid Urban), or FAS (Federal Aid Secondary). If no funding source is shown, no federal funds were used. Note that while some segments seem to have the same attributes, they may differ in the county-local road number assigned to the segment, or in the Caltrans Map Sheet number.]
24th Street from US 101 in Paso Robles to the Paso Robles city limits (FAU, 0.91 mi) [San Luis Obispo County]
Nacimiento Lake Drive from the Paso Robles city limits to the Nacimiento Dam (FAS, 15.06 mi) [San Luis Obispo County]
The road across the Nacimiento Dam (FAS, 0.26 mi) [San Luis Obispo County]
Nacimiento Lake Drive from the Nacimiento Dam to Interlake Road (FAS, 0.97 mi) [San Luis Obispo County]
Interlake Road from Nacimiento Lake Drive to the Monterey county line (FAS, 6.80 mi) [San Luis Obispo County]
Interlake Road from the San Luis Obispo county line to Jolon Road (FAS, 13.99 mi) [Monterey County]
Jolon Road from Interlake Road to Mission Road (FAS, 6.00 mi) [Monterey County]
Jolon Road from Mission Road to Jolon Road (FAS, 7.95 mi) [Monterey County]
Jolon Road from Jolon Road to US 101 (FAS, 9.87 mi) [Monterey County]
The corridor of Monterey County Sign Route G18 and Jolon Road is tied to that of the
Spanish iteration of El Camino Real and Mission San Antonio de
Pauda. The Santa Lucia Mountains and general course of the San
Antonio River were explored by the Spanish during 1769 Portola Expedition
of Las Californias. Mission San Antonio de Pauda was founded during
1771 near the San Antonio River. The San Antonio River proved to be
a reliable source of water for irrigation purposes between Mission San
Miguel Arcangel and Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad. Thusly
general path of the Spanish iteration of El Camino Real followed the
general corridor of modern Jolon Road from Mission San Miguel Arcangel
through the Santa Lucia Mountains towards Mission Nuestra Senora de la
Soledad. During the 1870s and 1880s, the Southern Pacific Railroad
constructed a line through Salinas Valley towards San Miguel. The
Southern Pacific Railroad would develop frontage roads which would replace
the corridor of Jolon Road as the primary through highway between San
Miguel and Mission Soledad. These frontages during the 20th Century
would form the basis of LRN 2/US 101.
(Source: Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer), "Monterey County Route G18", 10/1/2023)
By 1935, Jolon Road was a major local highway. Jolon Road originated at
US 101 near Bradly and looped back to it near King City. Jolon Road
east of Lockwood followed what is now Bradley-Lockwood Road Jolon
Road became prominent during World War II due to the formation of Fort
Hunter Liggett during 1940 near Jolon. Forty miles of improvements
of Jolon Road began as a Work Projects Administration (WPA) project during
early 1941 and would conclude during late year 1942. The segment of
Jolon Road between Bradly to Lockwood was straightened as part of the
corridor improvements.
(Source: Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer), "Monterey County Route G18", 10/1/2023)
During 1971 Jolon Road was assigned as Monterey County Sign Route G14 and Monterey County Sign Route G18. Monterey County Sign Route G18 was assigned to the 16.40 miles of Jolon Road
east of Lockwood. Monterey County Sign Route G14 was assigned to the 23.82 miles
northwest of Lockwood. At some point between the mid-1970s and early
1980s, the Jolon Grade on Monterey County Sign Route G14 north of Jolon was straightened.
(Source: Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer), "Monterey County Route G18", 10/1/2023)
This route was defined in 1971.
This route is part of the De Anza National Historic Trail.
South of Mission Road in Fort Hunter Liggett G14 has scenic placards as
far south as Nacimiento Lake. The first 25 mile or so southbound of G14 on
Jolon Road which traverses a lot of Salinas Valley before entering the
outskirts of the Santa Lucia Range upon entering Fort Hunter Liggett.
Really there isn't too much exciting until Mission Road where the signage
for the De Anza Historic Trail picks up. Essentially all of G14
technically is on the De Anza Historic Trail but the signage north of Fort
Hunter Liggett is non-existent. Basically the route is the signed on the
trail that Spanish Soldiers took in 1775 to 1776 to found a mission up in
San Francisco. At Lockwood G14 turns south on Interlake Road while Jolon
Road picks up G18. From G18, G14 is signed as a Scenic Route with the
appropriate placard signage. South to Nacimiento Lake Drive G14 gains a
lot of elevation and has some crazy grades in addition to having decent
overviews of Lake Nacimiento to the south with Lake San Antonio the north.
On the ridge above the lakes is the boundary for SLO County. At Lake
Nacimiento Lake Drive G14 meets G19 and follows said road south to Lake
Nacimiento and over Nacimiento Dam. The Nacimiento Dam is an earthen dam
that was completed in 1957 and impounds an 18 mile long reservoir on the
Nacimiento River. Lake Nacimiento Lake Road has some pretty steep grades,
some as much as 10% before leveling out near Chimney Rock Road and a
formation of the same name. G14 the rest of the way to US 101 in Paso
Robles is pretty tame and there was a decent G14 "End" even to be had at
the southern terminus. Note that there was a recent signage error that
signed the route on US 101 as 18.
(Source: Max R on AARoads)
Total mileage: 61.81 mi.
© 1996-2020 Daniel P. Faigin.
Maintained by: Daniel P. Faigin
<webmaster@cahighways.org>.